


Let Sleeping Thieves Lie

by Trekkiechick



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Ered Luin, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Quest, Shmoop, absolute nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 03:24:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3880414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trekkiechick/pseuds/Trekkiechick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by Hobbitfing and Alkjira's tumblr post - Dwalin finds one of Nori's hideouts, catches him sleeping and helpless and ripe for arresting and...! ...tucks him in and leaves. Meanwhile Nori's like WHAT JUST HAPPENED</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Sleeping Thieves Lie

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah. I apologize.  
> Inspired by this ---> http://trekkiechick.tumblr.com/post/118123986135/alkjira-hobbitfing-so-after-years-decades-of

Dwalin had been chasing after this thief for nearly a decade now. It was embarrassing - the longest time he’d spent on one target before had been an entire underground network of slave-traders, one that had been set in place before the dwarves of Erebor had properly established themselves in Ered Luin, and even that had only taken two years. This one was different. A merry, confident dwarf that danced along rooftops and slipped from between fingers like so much water. Even when they did manage to catch the thief, the cell would be empty within a few days, with the guards cuffed or unconscious but never killed. What in the Maker’s name was the deal with this one? Dwalin had chased them countless times and still didn’t know what they truly looked like. He’d never seen anyone able to change their appearance so well; some days the thief wore a heavy cowl, and some days just appeared as a normal dwarf. Normal, until they started running. Dwalin hated those times the most. Once or twice, the thief had even managed to steal his own coinpurse from him, and he hadn’t even noticed until it had been dangled in front of his face. He’d conveniently forgotten to include the thief’s cocky “Lost somethin’, Fundinson?” in his report.

And wasn’t that just terrific? The thief called him by name each time he got close in the chase and Dwalin didn’t even know what the dwarf looked like.

Until now.

It had been completely by chance - just a routine search of an unstable tunnel that the Miner’s Guild had wanted to start branching off of. Dwalin and several others - guards and miners alike to defend against both cave-ins and unsavoury characters - had ventured in. But now, Dwalin was alone, and staring into a tiny niche in the rock that led into a little cavitation. A lit cavitation. He’d had to take his axes off to squeeze inside and couldn’t straighten up once he was there, but it was worth it after seeing what he’d found.

The thief lay there, facing the entryway, eyes closed. By the light of a little luminous crystal near his head, Dwalin could see that he had only the minimum braids in his beard to declare himself as male, and a long simple braid falling down behind him to keep his hair in check. There was still visible tension in the way he held himself, even fast asleep - for he must be asleep, to let Dwalin get so close - but his face was smooth and calm, so unlike the usual cocksure smirk Dwalin saw it with.

He was so _young_. Dwalin doubted the dwarf had even been of age the first time he’d chased him down. Ered Luin was no Erebor, to be sure, but was it really so bad that dwarflings must steal to live? Whenever the guards brought in young ones like this, looking for pretties to sell to get coin enough for food or medicine, Dwalin usually let them off with a warning and whatever he could spare from his purse that day, especially if they had siblings to feed. Did this thief have siblings? A mother, a father? He could see bruises on those skinny wrists, loose folds where his ragged clothing should have been stretched tight over a healthy layer of fat and muscle.

Dwalin sighed. He couldn’t take this dwarf in his sleep, cuffing him like a coward when he usually gave such a chase. Not when those laughing eyes were closed so peacefully, when the thief looked so young. It would be as cold-blooded as attacking those who had already surrendered. And Mahal had made no part of Dwalin to be cold.

Shaking his head, already hearing his inner voice - that sounded far too much like Balin - telling him that he would later regret this, Dwalin bent and drew the thief’s thin blanket further up his form, feeling absurdly like he was tucking in a wanted criminal. To be fair, the little cave was far enough removed from Ered Luin’s forges to be as cold as darkened stone could be. Dwalin still felt silly.

With difficulty, he edged his way back through the little niche and out into the tunnel, reuniting with his axes at last. By Mahal, he hoped the thief had really been asleep, or he was going to catch such a taunting during the next chase.

* * *

Nori hadn’t been asleep.

Obviously, no one who slept in a hideyhole did so unless they were _hiding_. It was in the damned _name_. And no one who knew how to properly hide would sleep through a great Olipaunt-like stomping just outside their hideyhole.

But then, Nori reasoned furiously, no one who knew how to properly hide would do so in a place with _only one exit_. Curse the guards. Curse them all, nosing into such a good, well-hidden spot. And curse Nori himself, for only waking when the footsteps had been right in front of his escape route. How had they even found- But of course, he’d left his light-crystal uncovered, not wanting to wake in cave darkness and panic. Rookie mistake, and now he was going to pay for it. He only hoped the dwarf - who by the sound of it, was currently squeezing into his little cave - didn’t recognize him. He’d seen what happened to repeat offenders who got caught, especially those who pissed off their captors. At least, he’d seen what was left of them.

Nori stayed perfectly still as the dwarf laboriously pressed their way into the little cavitation. Through his lashes, he was able to catch a glimpse, and- _Mahal’s balls_. Nori felt as though he’d been kneed in the stomach. He’d only managed to spy the dwarf’s massive shadow against the wall of the cave, but it had been enough to recognize Dwalin Fundinson. And really, the heavy steps alone should have been enough to give him a clue. He’d heard them often enough, always just too many steps behind as the younger dwarf sped off into the shadows with whatever he’d lifted. Perhaps he shouldn’t have nicked the guardsman’s things so many times. Morbidly, Nori wondered if there would be enough of him left to send home to Dori to return to the stone. With the stories he’d heard from Azanulbizar, it was iffy. And with how he’d baited the larger dwarf…

Nori’s muscles tensed to the point of pain as Dwalin shifted his weight. He calculated his next move. In this small of a space, with Dwalin between him and the exit, his only chance would be the element of surprise. And even that was no guarantee - he _really_ didn’t want to kill the other, and couldn’t be sure of that sentiment being reciprocated. Reassuring himself of the position of each of his hidden knives and subtly twisting his wrists to loosen the ones in his sleeves, Nori waited for Dwalin to reach down.

And continued waiting. What was _Dwalin_ waiting for? Did he not recognize Nori out of disguise? Was he signing instructions to other guards out in the hall? …Did he know Nori was awake?

Just as Nori readied himself to catch the hilts of his hidden knives, Dwalin made his move. He bent and-

…

Did Dwalin just tuck him in?

It was almost enough to make Nori sit up in alarm. Almost. By the Maker’s mercy and a good bit of experience, he managed to stay still as the enormous dwarf pulled up his blanket - an old sack that he’d slit the sideseams on - and fixed it more snugly around Nori’s tense form. For one wild moment, Nori wondered if it was a ruse, a tricky way of fixing his arms to his sides - as if that would stop him. But no, Dwalin was genuinely just…leaving. Nori could hear him swearing quietly as he squeezed his way back out of the little nook. Taking a chance, Nori slit his eyes open again, watching. Was he calling for backup? No, he was…refastening his axe harness.

Insanity. The whole situation. Was it the Reforging of the World already? Had Dwalin Fundinson truly taken off his axes? And not arrested Ered Luin’s Most Wanted when Nori had had no chance to escape?

When he was sure that the guard had truly left - stomping away like he had granite for feet - Nori covered his accursed light-stone and swiftly packed away his things, determined not to stay in that spot long enough for Dwalin to change his mind and return. He wouldn’t try that luck twice; one tucking-in from the King’s own guard had been enough lunacy for one lifetime. The next thing he knew, he’d be setting off across Middle Earth to take on Smaug himself.


End file.
